Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law imposing restrictions on Russians living abroad who were convicted in absentia in criminal or administrative cases. The document was published on the official legal information portal and took effect upon signing.
The new restrictions apply to Russians who left the country, have a criminal record under any article of the Criminal Code, and are evading punishment, as well as to those who have not paid fines under political articles of the Administrative Code. These include articles on “discrediting” the army, calls for sanctions, violating the country's territorial integrity, and articles on “foreign agents” and “undesirable organizations.” The Interior Ministry must confirm that the person is outside Russia and evading the imposed punishment.
Those subject to the restrictions will have their bank accounts blocked and access to bank mobile apps closed. Any payments—salaries, pensions, payments from organizations and individuals—will be credited to a special ruble account, from which money will be written off to pay fines. Close relatives of emigrants who have no income of their own may be assigned a monthly allowance from the frozen funds of the person concerned.
The document also bans convicted emigrants from real estate transactions, vehicle registration, registering as individual entrepreneurs or self-employed. They will be denied foreign passports, marriage registration, name changes, certification of transactions, wills and powers of attorney, and notarial acts by proxy. They will also be barred from using the state services portal “Gosuslugi” to submit applications or obtain documents.
The decision to apply the measures will be made by the Justice Ministry. The Interior Ministry, Federal Security Service (FSB), Federal Bailiff Service, Federal Tax Service and Prosecutor General's Office will be able to submit proposals to the ministry.
The State Duma passed both bills on these restrictions on July 22, in the last days of the current convocation's work. Human rights activists from the First Department called the document a “law on the actual deprivation of citizenship.”